Culinary Arts Schools in New York

New York is home to one of the country's largest, most diverse and eclectic culinary scenes. New York City is certainly the epicenter of all things food-related in the U.S. -- a place where millions of tourists come to visit and dine, and chefs from around the world come to study and launch new dining experiences.

From haute cuisine to food trucks, gastropub fare to sustainable dining, New York City is a melting pot of food experience, bringing together the traditional and modern, while introducing and exploring new culinary opportunities such as gastronomy into the region.

The culinary industry in New York is as expansive as it is varied. Consider the following facts about New York's restaurant industry from the National Restaurant Association:

44,569 eating and drinking establishments in the state in 2013

$34.6 billion in sales annually

More than 772,000 New Yorkers employed in the food and beverage industry in 2014

Famous New York restaurants

New York is certainly no stranger to nationally and even globally recognized establishments, from the renowned Tavern on the Green in Central Park to Minetta Tavern. For its 2015 rankings, Michelin gave 1-, 2- and 3-star rankings to 72 restaurants for 2015. Six restaurants were awarded three stars -- it's highest possible rating -- five of which are located in Manhattan.

Jean-Georges (Manhattan). Founded by its namesake Jean-Georges Vongerichten in 1997, Jean-Georges is a pillar of French cuisine in the New York area and has been named one of the top five French restaurants in North and South America.

Le Bernardin (Manhattan). Chef and co-owner Eric Ripert -- one of New York's finest chefs, has brought critical acclaim to Le Bernadin, including 3-star ratings from Michelin, 4-star ratings from the New York Times, and a James Beard award for "Best Restaurant Design" in 2012.

Masa (Manhattan). Chef Masayoshi Takayama's Masa, a renowned Japanese and sushi restaurant, is not only one of the city's most unique dining experiences but one of the most expensive, costing $450 per person.

Per Se (Manhattan). Opened in 2004, Per Se is another famous New York restaurant serving French fare and is the second three-star Michelin restaurant opened by Chef Thomas Keller.

Two-star winners include Daniel, Aqavit, Soto, Marea and Blanca, while Aleda, Bouley, Betony and Tori Shin were some of the one-star winners.

But, New York City is not only dominated by expensive, Michelin 3-star winning restaurants. In fact, affordable, high-quality culinary experiences can be found nearly everywhere. Zagat named the following five restaurants as the top five best value restaurants by Zagat in 2014:

Chuko Ramen (Japanese)

SriPraPhai (Thai)

Paulie Gee's (Pizza)

Lucali (Pizza)

Taverna Kyclades (Greek)

New York culinary Schools & career outlook

Besides moving to France to work their way into the restaurant industry, prospective students in New York can choose from a variety of educational and career path opportunities. New York culinary Schools & Colleges are found in a variety of locations and have a range of culinary degree options. Traditionally, students at New York culinary schools can select from four major concentrations, including the following:

Through those lines of culinary training, example careers include baker, food service manager, private chef, head cook or chef and more. State-wide, overall employment projections are muted, with chefs and bakers expected to see the biggest employment gains between 2012 and 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov).

Below is a table of state-wide average salaries and projected career growth for chefs, bakers and food service managers in New York:

Occupation

Total Employment in New York (2013)

Average Salary in New York (2013)

% Job Growth in New York (2012-2022)

Bakers

9,770

$25,120

5.6%

Chefs and Head Cooks

8,620

$46,620

5.2%

Food Service Managers

8,000

$53,130

1.6%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013, and Projections Central

In the state, employment potential and career earnings vary by location, from city to city, metro area to metro area.

Below is a table of 2013 average salaries in New York metropolitan areas across three of the major culinary careers: Chef, Food Service Manager, and Baker.

Metropolitan Area

Occupations

2013 Average Salary

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Food Service Managers

$55,150

Chefs and Head Cooks

$36,780

Bakers

$26,950

Binghamton, NY

Food Service Managers

$54,120

Chefs and Head Cooks

$45,550

Bakers

$23,620

Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY

Food Service Managers

$54,010

Chefs and Head Cooks

$41,400

Bakers

$24,750

Glens Falls, NY

Food Service Managers

$70,860

Chefs and Head Cooks

$43,330

Bakers

$29,450

Ithaca, NY

Food Service Managers

$49,200

Chefs and Head Cooks

$35,210

Bakers

$25,160

New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division

Food Service Managers

$72,680

Chefs and Head Cooks

$64,510

Bakers

$26,650

Syracuse, NY

Food Service Managers

$59,710

Chefs and Head Cooks

$48,060

Bakers

$27,230

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013

For prospective students thinking about enrolling in cooking school, New York should be at the top of any list of potential locations. With its rich culinary history to award winning restaurants, New York is certainly one of the country's most prolific food destinations -- for students, chefs, and patrons alike.

Additional Information on Culinary Colleges in New York from Chef2chef.net